Finally, New Rims & Tires for my 73' GT

[OneAngryDwrf]

Hello All,

For those of you that remember me, several months ago I was looking for info on after-market wheels for my 73' GT. Well, at long last I finally bit the bullet and invested in some shiny new rims. I must say that I am very pleased with the results, and the information I got from this board was very useful and integral to my finding the right set. I got them mounted last weekend, and finally found some time to snap some pics. Of course, I had to share, so here they are...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...g?t=1223259696


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...g?t=1223277979


And just for fun, the evolution of this car...

This is how it looked when I first bought it two years ago.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...g?t=1223259992

Then, after it was painted
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...g?t=1223260117


And of course, in its current form. The rims really change the look of the car and tie it all together I think.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...g?t=1223260460


Overall, I am very happy with the results. The car not only looks great but drive so much smoother down the road. I could not be happier! So, now, I'll just keep on fixing things slowly but surely and improving it.


Whatcha guys think?





TKO the OAD

[SpringGT]

You have done a really good job on the whole car. It looks great! I like the wheels on it too. I had a '91 Mustang GT that dark green color and I really like it.

[hallgeir]

That is a great looking car. The wheels are perfect for that car. Congratulations. You`ve done a very good job.

[Jeepsbeme]

That's just a bout a perfect design for your GT! What brand and size are they?

[grslightng02]

Looks great! Now you need to take a trip down to Pt.Pinos Lighthouse or down to Lone Cypress and take some pics of it there! Looks beautiful. Reminds me of my first GT I owned in Pacific Grove.

[OneAngryDwrf]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you all like it. The wheels are Rota RBs in 15x7 with a 13 milimeter offset. We had to try several different sizes of rubber before we came on one that wouldn't rub. I ended up going with 185 60s. I like that it fills out the wheel wells, and still looks somewhat vintage race. I didn't want anything too modern looking, and the Rotas have a nice 60s-70s trans-am racing look to them. Also, I am a big Mustang fan, especially the 68' from the Steve McQueen film Bullitt, so I went with the Highland Green metallic paint, and a similar rim to the vintage torque thrusts. So, I guess I have, in a roundabout way, a "Bullitt" GT...



I'll definitely have to drive over to Lover's Point or Big Sur some time and snap some shots of the car. I just took these down the street from me at the High School. As soon as I do, I'll post some more!


TKO the OAD

[PROPEL]

Looks GREAT! Funny, I immediately thought "Bullitt" before reading your last comment. (And I don't think the PO, Peter, would even recognize his former "rally" car. Mind if I share these pics with him?)

[Motor Mouth]

Great job done there and looks like some real love and attention has gone into her. Now all i think she needs is a suspension drop by an inch or so, then you can think about a 'Stroker'

[OneAngryDwrf]

Originally Posted by PROPEL Looks GREAT! Funny, I immediately thought "Bullitt" before reading your last comment. (And I don't think the PO, Peter, would even recognize his former "rally" car. Mind if I share these pics with him?)

Oh by all means, share them! I've been trying to hunt down his email so I can show him how the car's coming along. Peter's a wonderful guy. Friendly, informative, and loves the automobile. I cannot think of a better person to buy a car from. Tell him I said hello!

Trevor
OAD

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by OneAngryDwrf The wheels are Rota RBs in 15x7 with a 13 millimetre offset. We had to try several different sizes of rubber before we came on one that wouldn't rub. I ended up going with 185 60s.

Most folks go with a 205/50-15 with a 15 x 7 inch wheel. Was that too wide in your case? The offset sounds right. Where did the bigger tires rub?

One thing to note is that the speedo is about 4.4% off with the 185/60-15 tire, such that when it reads 60 mph, you're actually doing 62.6 mph. The 205/50-15 tire is within 1.4% of the OEM 165/75-13 diameter.

[OneAngryDwrf]

Originally Posted by kwilford Most folks go with a 205/50-15 with a 15 x 7 inch wheel. Was that too wide in your case? The offset sounds right. Where did the bigger tires rub?

They would rub towards the rear of the front tires when turning. The tire guys spent a lot of time trying out different sizes, and these were the only ones, in my case, that seem to be able to clear with no rubbing issues.